Thursday, August 20, 2009
Man posing as exterminator steals ring from elderly woman
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (WSVN) -- An elderly woman was scammed out of her precious ring after a man posed as an exterminator and swiped it right off her finger.
The 85-year-old victim would prefer to hide her identity after she received the scare of her life. A thief posing as an exterminator stole her pricey Tiffany diamond ring right off of her finger. The ring was a gift from her husband of more than 65 years. "I never took it off, except to clean it," she said.
The incident occurred at the woman's home in Coral Gables. She and her husband were both home when the man knocked on the door and told the victim he needed to spray for ants. He entered and started spraying all around the couple's home, and then he sprayed her hand.
The thief took the woman into her bathroom to wash her hands. "He starts putting soap on me and washing with soap and I said, 'What are you doing?' and he pulls my ring off," she said.
The couple said the man visited them the day before after they returned from a grocery store. The man asked to help take in their groceries, and he told them he was a new neighbor. The couple's daughter, who was home, scared the man off.
Police believe the couple was likely followed. "They're being targeted out of these local businesses," said Coral Gables Police Sergeant Janette Frevola.
The woman is saddened by the incident and wants her ring back. "I'm very sentimental, and I'm just very, very upset about it," she said.
Back in May, a Coral Gables resident, another elderly woman, had the exact same crime happen to her. A man posed as an exterminator, sprayed her hands and took her ring right off of her finger. She also had just came home from the supermarket.
Police said in this latest robbery, they believe the thief was driving a 4-door silver Ford Taurus with a New York license plate.
If you have any information on this robbery, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.
(Copyright 2009 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
